Flue-expander.



E. E. CULLISON. FLUE EXPANDBR.

APPLICATION rum) MAR.26. 191s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

mvzunm 5/07 e r 5 Cu/fisor A TTOHNEY E. E. OULLISON.

FLUE EXPANDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZG, 1913.

1, 1 14,865. Patented Oct. 27, 1914,

2 SHEETSSIIBBT Z.

Q E K Q Q\ L KIT R WITNESSES: INVENTOR W ZYE. C0///60/;, W 71. 6, 921/ 4 TTURNEY 1H5 NORRIJ, PEYERS cc: 7 PHOTO LITHO WASHING/UN n C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. CULLISON, 0F ALTQONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUE-EXPANDER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER E. Common, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue-Expanders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the subject of flue expander-s, and has particularly inview a construction which is simple, durable and cheaply manufactured. Further, the present device may be easily taken apart and quickly assembled, which greatly facilitates the renewal of damaged or worn out parts.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the description of the invention proceeds, and the nature thereof is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The invention is necessarily susceptible to minor changes in details and proportions, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Hbwever, a preferred and practical embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the flue sheet bearing member. Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the main frame. Fig. 6 is aside elevation thereof. Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View thereof. Fig. 8 is an end View of the expanding roller. Fig. 9 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring specifically to the structure disclosed in the drawings, the reference haracter 1 indicates the main frame that is provided with the radial openings 2 which are formed by the spaced apart segment bars 3.

The said frame 1 is further provided with the central bore 4 which extends throughout its entire length. One end of the frame 1 terminates in a collar 5, and has adjacent thereto a groove 6 which forms one half of a ball race. The apex of each of the segment portions 3 is provided at its intermediate portion with a laterally projecting lug 8 which prevents the tapered expanding rollers 9 mounted in the radial openings 2 from falling inward when the usual expanding mandrel 10 is withdrawn from the main frame.

The flue sheet bearing member 11 is pro- Speeification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 26, 1913. Serial No. 757,028.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 191.4.

vided with a central opening which permits the same to be fitted over the main frame 1 so that the bearing ring 12 thereof can abut against the underside of the collar 5. The said bearing member 11 is provided with a groove 13 which is a complement of the groove 6 in the main frame 1, and when registering with the latter forms the complete ball race which is accessible by means of ascrew plug 14. It will thus be seen that the ball bearings placed in the race 7 constitute a key to rotatably lock the flue sheet bearing member 1.1 and the main frame 1 together. The member 11 is further provided with an annular retaining shoulder 15 which is especially designed to hold the top of the expanding rollers 9 from falling outward when the device is in use.

In assembling the invention the line sheet bearing member 11 is placed over the main frame 1 until the bearing ring 12 of the former is flush with the underside of the collar 5 of the latter. The rollers 9 are then placed in their respective openings 2 and the expanding mandrel 10 inserted in the central bore 4 so that the latter forces the rollers 9 outwardly and against the annular retaining shoulder 15 thereby preventing the same from dropping from their places. The device is then ready to be placed in a boiler tube T so that the flue sheet bearing member can initially bear upon the bushing B around the tube T and finally, after several turns of the mandrel 10 seat itself upon the flue sheet F.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that the rollers 9 are securely held in the radial openings 2 by means of the lugs 8 and the annular retaining shoulder 15; also because of the fact that the rollers 9 have no bearing axles in the frame 1, a greater force can be applied thereto for the purpose of bending back. the boiler tube upon the bushing in the flue sheet, than could otherwise be applied if the rollers were limited in their expanding movement, by at tached journals.

I claim:

A fine expanding tool comprising a cylindrical main frame having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a plurality of elongated radial openings, said frame also bcing provided with a shouldered collar portion at one end, a flanged flue sheet bearing member havinga ball-bearing interlocked swivel connection with the collared end of the frame In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature 1n the presence of two Witnesses.

ELMER E. CULLISON.

and provided with an interior shouldered portion, tapering expanding rollers received in said radial openings of the main frame and having one end thereof engaging saidinterior shouldered portion of the flue sheet Witnesses: bearing member, and a tapered expanding N. E. GEE, mandrel. Gr. JEAMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

